Press Releases
Muslim Public Affairs Council Commends U.S. Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2008
On October 23 the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a third man pleaded guilty to a hate crime for anti-Muslim vandalism in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The U.S. based Muslim Public Affairs Council commended the Department of Justice for “cracking down on hate crimes against members of the Muslim community in the United States.”
“Tolerance is a core American value,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung Becker. “It is vital that we vigorously pursue cases like this, where the basic right to live peacefully and without fear in one’s own home has been infringed. The protection of the rights of Arabs and Muslims, like the rights of all individuals victimized because of their race, religion or national origin, remains one of our highest priorities at the Department of Justice.”
“In a time when Islamophobia is on the rise,” said MPAC Executive Director Salam Al-Marayati, “it is reassuring to see that our government is working hard to protect all Americans, including Arab and Muslims.”
Furthermore, Al-Marayati said, “the only effective means of countering hate like this, is more government engagement with community-based organizations.”
Founded in 1988, the Muslim Public Affairs Council is an American institution which informs and shapes public opinion and policy by serving as a trusted resource to decision makers in government, media and policy institutions. MPAC is also committed to developing leaders with the purpose of enhancing the political and civic participation of Muslim Americans.
